The present invention relates generally to a vehicle tailgate which has storage capacity.
Automotive vehicles such as pick-up trucks, sport utility vehicles and vans typically include a cargo box defined by a generally rectangular area of the vehicle having a cargo floor, opposing side walls and a rear tailgate pivotally connected to the cargo floor. The tailgate may be pivoted about the cargo floor between an open position providing access to the cargo box area and a closed position, latched to the side walls, for closing the cargo box.
Some vehicles are provided with a cover to completely enclose the cargo box for items to be carried in the box. These covers may have either a soft or a hard construction. The soft covers are not completely weather proof and can be easily infiltrated. The hard covers can be quite costly. Furthermore, the items to be carried may not be of a size to justify a complete coverage of the cargo box and it may be desirable to leave the top of the box open to carry larger items which extend above the height permitted by a full cover.
The height or distance from the ground to the cargo floor or tailgate often presents difficulties in loading cargo into the vehicle and cargo box. Many large sized vans or trucks such as xe2x80x9cmovingxe2x80x9d trucks, include an elongated ramp which may be attached to the rear of the vehicle or cargo floor adjacent the opening to the cargo box and extended between the cargo floor and the ground to assist the vehicle occupant in loading the cargo box. However, storage of the ramp remains difficult due to the size of the ramp which must be long enough to provide a usable ramp angle for moving objects into and out of the cargo box. After use, the ramps are usually placed in the cargo box and in many instances because of their long length they extend out of the box. Furthermore, these known ramps must be very strong, which usually means they are also heavy, for loading the cargo box with larger items such as motorcycles, all terrain vehicles, etc. Again this makes the known ramps awkward to handle.
The present invention relates to a vehicle for storing and transporting cargo comprising a cargo box for supporting and storing the cargo in the vehicle. The cargo box is defined by a generally planar cargo floor extending between a front end and a rear open end of the box and a pair of spaced apart and generally parallel side walls extending between the front end and the rear open end along opposing sides of the cargo floor. A tailgate is operatively connected to the rear open end of the cargo box and pivotal between an open position extending from the cargo floor, generally planar therewith for providing access to the cargo box and a closed position extending generally upright from the rear open end of the cargo floor between the opposing side walls for closing the cargo box. According to the present invention the tailgate includes an item storage cavity and a door for closing the cavity in the tailgate.
According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a stowable ramp assembly for a vehicle including a first ramp member having a first support surface and a wedge shaped profile. The first member has a leading end having an end wall extending from the first support surface. A pin extends transversely of the first member and is spaced from the first support surface. A second ramp member has a second support surface and a wedge shaped profile. The second member is configured to nest within the first member when in a front to back relation. The second member has a trailing end having an end wall extending from the second support surface and a hook extending longitudinally from the trailing end at a point spaced from the second support surface. The first and second members interconnect in a ramp configuration by engaging the hook about the pin and rotating one of the members relative to the other of the members until the leading end wall abuts with the trailing end wall presenting an elongate support surface. A first set of the first and second members store in a nested configuration with a second sets of the first and second ramp members also in a nested configuration. The first and second set are presented to each other in opposing directions to minimize the stack height of the ramp members.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a well in a vehicle for storing a first set and a second set of ramp members. The storage well has a cover for selectively covering and closing the well. The well is sized to receive the first set of first and second members in a nested configuration and also a second set of first and second members again in a nested configuration. The first and second sets of ramp members are presented to each other in opposing directions.
According to a further aspect of the invention the well in the vehicle for storing the first and second sets of first and second ramp members is provided in the tailgate storage cavity.
According to yet a further embodiment of the present invention at least one elongated extension ramp is stowable within the tailgate cavity. The extension ramp includes a first end for connecting the ramp to the tailgate and a second end for supporting the ramp on a surface adjacent the vehicle whereby the ramp provides a gradual inclined extension support surface from the surface adjacent the vehicle to the tailgate for loading cargo into the cargo box.